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ABSTRACT
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-derived vesicles that are enriched with RNAs, proteins and other functional molecules. We exploit the unique physical properties of EVs as a promising and advantageous nanoplatform for the delivery of therapeutic drugs and genetic materials. Early successes in the discovery of various disease-related characteristics of EVs have driven a new wave of innovation in developing nanoscale drug-delivery systems (DDSs). Nevertheless, there are several issues that need to be considered during the development of these alternative DDSs, such as standardized isolation and preservation methods, efficient drug encapsulation, mechanisms of drug release and so on. In this mini-review, we summarize the current status and progress of EV-based DDSs as an efficient nanoplatform for therapeutics delivery, followed by a discussion on their challenges and future prospects for clinical translation and applications.
Abbreviations
| ADME | = | absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion |
| BBB | = | blood-brain barrier |
| DDSs | = | drug-delivery systems |
| EAE | = | experimental autoimmune encephalitis |
| ESCRT | = | endosomal sorting complex required for transport |
| EVs | = | extracellular vesicles |
| fHBP | = | factor H binding protein |
| GAPDH | = | glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase |
| GM-CSF | = | granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor |
| GVHD | = | graft-versus-host disease |
| IFN-γ | = | interferon gamma |
| ILVs | = | intraluminal vesicles |
| imDCs | = | immature mouse DCs |
| Lamp2b | = | lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein 2b |
| MHC | = | major histocompatibility complex |
| MSCs | = | mesenchymal stem cells |
| MVBs | = | multivesicular bodies |
| MVs | = | microvesicles |
| NadA | = | neisserial adhesin A |
| NHBA | = | neisserial heparin binding antigen |
| NK | = | natural killer (NK) cells |
| OMVs | = | outer membrane vesicles |
| plexosomes | = | plant-based exosomes |
| RVG | = | rabies viral glycoprotein |
| SARS | = | severe acute respiratory syndrome |
| SHH | = | sonic hedgehog |
Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest
All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest in relation to this work.
Funding
This study was supported by the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (973 Program) (Grant Nos. 2017YFA0205201, 2014CB744503, and 2013CB733802), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (Grant Nos. 81422023, 51273165, and U1505221), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China (Grant No. 20720160065 and 20720150141), the International Postdoctoral Exchange Fellowship Program, and the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (NCET-13–0502).